Old Ties
by LianneZ4
Summary: Sara has closed the door behind the chapter of her life that was New York. Now she's forced to open it again. Post-S6.


**OLD TIES**

 **Summary:** Sara has closed the door behind the chapter of her life that was New York. Now she's forced to open it again. Post-S6.

 _ **A/N:**_ _Written for veleda_k during Fandom Stocking._

* * *

Migraine is a bitch.

Sitting in a coffee shop, Sara fruitlessly presses her palms against her forehead. _Stress, mild dehydration, lack of sleep and a stiff neck from six hours sitting on a plane,_ her brain supplies unhelpfully. She drinks down half her coffee cup, hoping it will help alleviate the throbbing in her skull, at least a little. Either way, as soon as she deals with this, she can collapse in pain and suffer in her hotel room.

She really should have bought some painkillers at the airport pharmacy, but she hurried to be here on time. Except Peter Burke was supposed to be here ten minutes ago and so far he's a no show.

Sara clenches her fists, her nails digging deep in her palms. She forces herself to take a deep breath. When she called, Peter promised he would be here. They might not have seen each other in nearly seven years but Peter has always been a man of his word. He will come.

Sure enough, the door of the coffee shop opens and Peter walks in. He scans the crowd before spotting Sara in the corner (she has cut her hair since moving to London but otherwise she thinks she look pretty much the same) and then he smiles as he makes his way through the room to her.

He takes the seat across her. "Hey Sara. It's been a long time."

"Hi Peter. Look, I'm sorry to call you on such a short notice–"

"It's no problem." Peter pauses. "Though I have to say I was surprised to hear from you after all those years."

"You mean, besides the obligatory new year email?" says Sara.

Peter laughs. "Something like that, yes." He clears his throat. "Well, not that I'm not happy to see you, but I don't think is just a social call. Or is it? I mean–"

"No, you're right," Sara cuts him off. She swallows and lowers her voice. "I need Neal's new phone number."

Peter stiffens. "What–"

"Look, I know all about his supposed "death" charade, all right? And I know that you two were in contact. He gave me his number ages ago but I never called and now it's not working anymore."

"You thought…" Peter hesitates. "I'm sorry, Sara–"

"Puff fish toxin, fake blood, a storage container. I _talked_ to him Peter, so don't try to patronize me–"

"All right," says Peter quickly. "Yes, I have a way. But Sara…" He hesitates. "Look, it's been _seven years_. After all this time, do you really think it's a good idea to–"

 _Oh for Christ's sake–_

"I'm not trying to 'get back with him'," snaps Sara with a hint of disbelief. She pulls out a photograph. "This is my daughter, Naomi."

Peter gapes at her. "Wait – you have a _kid?_ How come you never told us?"

"I just did. And before you ask, yes, he is the father." Sara swallows down bile. "Naomi is sick. She needs a bone marrow transplant. I'm not a match. There're trying some other treatments, but… if she doesn't get the transplant…"

"Shit." Picking up the photograph, Peter stares at the six year old grinning girl – _freckles and red hair, but unmistakably Neal's blue eyes_. Finally he looks back at Sara. "Does he know about her?"

"Yes, he knows."

"He _knew_ and he stayed away?" asks Peter with genuine anger. "I would have thought that–"

"Peter, stop."

"But–"

Sara sighs. "Look, it's sweet to see you getting angry on our behalf, but we're fine."

"But she's his daughter!"

Great, the 'traditional family' outrage. This is _so_ exactly what they don't need right now.

"Biologically, yes. And I asked him to stay away," says Sara flatly.

Peter blinks. "What? Why?"

"Honestly? None of your business, Peter." But she still needs Neal's number, so Sara bites back the caustic things that come up in her mind and tries to be reasonable. "Look, can you truly tell me that he suddenly decided to drop the old act and went on the straight and narrow?"

Peter actually winces. "There has been some – I mean, I don't have any _definite_ proof–"

 _Yes, exactly what she thought._ "Peter, my daughter will die if they don't find a donor. I couldn't care less what he has been doing these past six years. I just need his number. … Please?" Sara adds after a moment.

Peter swallows. "Yes, okay. I'll write it down for you."

He begins fumbling through his bag for a pen and a piece of paper. Sara stops him.

"Just tell me. I'll put it in my phone."

"Right. Sure."

Peter has to look scroll through his own smartphone to find the contact. That alone is a bit of a surprise – there was a time when Peter would know Neal's number, shoe-size and wine preference in his sleep. Clearly, things have been strained on that front as well.

"So how is she now? Your daughter?" Peter finally asks when he finishes dictating the number and Sara confirms that the digits are correct.

"She's… well she's holding up well enough, considering. She's always had this… optimism, this cheerful air around her." _Naomi was always this tiny ball of laughter and joy…_ Sara takes a deep breath. "One of my friends is looking after her until I get back." Technically Jessica is Sara's ex-fiancé and the closest thing Naomi has to a second parent but that's another "need-to-know" information and Peter doesn't fall in that category anymore.

"And you really think Neal can help?" asks Peter. "Once you find him, she'll be all right?"

Sara swallows a bitter laugh. "I hope so."

 _Actually the odds are 1:200 that Neal will be a match. If she ever needed Neal to pass something to her daughter, it was his famous luck, just this once. The doctors continue to screen their databases for new donors but Naomi's time is running out and if there is even the_ tiniest _chance…_

After a bit of small talk that feels stiff and fake, Sara gives her goodbyes to Peter and catches the cab to her hotel. Once she's in her room, she wipes away a few tears before pulling out her phone.

She didn't just ask Neal to stay away. Their confrontation had been flat out nasty when Sara told him that he had no place in their lives, and she hadn't _quite_ threatened to turn him in but it was a close thing.

She had been eight months pregnant when he 'died'. When he came back a year later, Sara knew that both her and Naomi deserved better than to rely on someone who would disappear on a whim and who constantly had one foot in prison. Neal was charming, funny and a part of her still loved him, but Emily's disappearance had torn her apart and she was _not_ putting her daughter through that and worse.

For six years she never regretted that decision. Now she needs him to come back.

'Neal, our daughter is sick.'

'Hey Caffrey, I need your blood.' Sara almost chuckles at that one.

'Hi honey, I need you to risk a life in prison on the tiny chance that you're actually a match for our daughter…'

She knows Neal will come back. He may not have been a part of Naomi's life and Sara hasn't seen him in years, but she still knows him well enough to say that. Whatever happened between them, Naomi comes first.

 _Please, if there's anyone listening. Please let him be a match._

Sara takes a deep breath and dials Neal's number.


End file.
